Free Kade's Rescue (Detroit Heat Book 1) by Davida Lynn

started off well, but ended up being just another bad deal for you.”

    “Yeah… another bad deal.” I thought about Rico for a moment. “No, I don’t feel responsible. Things would have gotten a lot worse if we’d gone into that building. I did everything I could to get a ladder up to him before he fell. My shift commander didn’t blame me, the disciplinary council didn’t blame me.”

    “But they put you on a two-week leave?”

    “Yeah, they did.” I wasn’t hiding the emotion in my voice anymore. “Two major incidents in just a few months? They had to bench me. If the media got a hold of it, or if anything else happened because of me or even to me, it would put them in one hell of a position to explain themselves. I get why they did it. I get why they had to do it. What would you have done in the same situation, doc?”

    He could sense my frustration, but then again, I wasn’t exactly hiding it from him. He always pried and asked the tough questions, and I was going to answer them. He worked his hours just like me, but at the same time, the doc had no idea the things I’d been through. I was sure all his patients had scars on the inside, but mine were on the outside, too. Those scars would never fade with time, though.

    With a smile, he tried to set me at ease. “I’m sorry, Kade. I don’t know too much about your profession, but you are right. I don’t see much choice for your superiors. What are you planning on doing? More specifically, are you planning on calling Layne or trying to apologize in some way?”

    “I don’t think so.” It hurt me to say that, but I knew things were too far gone between us. I could never apologize for what I had done, and I didn’t think I’d ever be able to explain what had happened. I had thrown away a great opportunity with a great woman; it was just one more thing I had to live with. This time it was all on me, though.

    The doc nodded, but said, “That’s a shame, but it’s your decision.” He was right on both counts.

    I was able to stay away from work for five days. On day six, I was getting stir-crazy and I wanted to see the boys on Gold shift. When they call the fire service the brotherhood, they mean it. Even if you don’t really like your coworkers, they are your brothers and you still get along with them.

    The drive to work was calming, even if it was just to pay a visit. The July sun was beating down and Clay was outside the bay, sitting in a deckchair in the sunlight. He had his t-shirt sleeves rolled up, his sunglasses on, and his head back. Water was drying on the pavement where a truck had recently been washed. Somewhere inside the open garage door, Led Zeppelin was playing. It was the perfect summer afternoon on a quiet day. They were rare.

    Clay looked up when he heard my car door slam. He raised his hand to me, but didn’t say anything. As I got closer, he sat up and pulled his shades down. “Honestly? Thought you’d be here on the last shift.”

    I rolled my eyes. “Is that what you really think of me, Cap? I’ve got nothing better to do than come to work when I’m off for two weeks?”

    Clay laid his hands out before him as if to say, Well? All I could do was nod and laugh.

    “Any action?” I was losing my mind at home. In less than a week I’d installed a new hardwood floor in my living room and re-stained the small deck in my backyard. All the usual house stuff had been taken care of, and I was beyond restless.

    He shook his head, “Nope. Relatively quiet few days. The guys are already calling you the black cloud. With you gone, we’re actually catching up on some sleep.”

    As a few of the Gold shifters headed into the bay, Clay stood up and motioned for me to follow him around the building for some privacy.

    At a picnic table in the shade, he sat down. I knew what was coming. It wasn’t the same nervous anticipation that I got at the shrink’s office. Strangely, it was something a bit more comforting coming from